Makhigha Davis
Raeford, NC — Hoke County High School has been under fire since one of its administrators reportedly kicked off a Black student from the school bus, saying she has inappropriate clothing.
“I don’t send my children out here in provocative clothes to break any rules at school,” Middleton said. “I feel like that could have been handled a different way.”
Around 4 pm last Friday, Middleton received a call from Makhigha telling her that she couldn’t go home with the school bus as the assistant principal won’t let her ride because of her shirt. She was asked to wait inside the school but had to move outside when the last staffer left.
“She said, ‘you have to wait outside because I’m about to leave and the office is about to close,'” Makhigha said.
She had to wait for about two hours for her mother, who was at work when she called, to pick her up.
Makhigha noted the fact that nobody from her teachers or other staff from the school commented about her shirt the whole day.
“For you to have those doors locked, it’s unfair to children,” said Middleton.
In a statement, Hoke County Schools took responsibility on the situation. They said, “Hoke County Schools will not make excuses for the poor judgement demonstrated by the assistant principal. The best course of action would have been to allow the student to get on the bus Friday. All administrators understand that if a child is pulled from a bus then they are responsible for that child’s supervision until they are safely picked up by a parent.”
The response, however, does not appeal to Middleton who hasn’t sent her daughter back to school since.
“It seems like there is no consequence for the administrator. He gets to go about his regular day,” Middleton said.